On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… ‘tis the damn season.

Break out the glitter and the ugly sweaters. If you’re on social media, you’ve probably seen a lot of minimalist holiday décor this year — from celebrities, influencers, and DIY-ers alike. It seems trendy to try “class up” the holidays and eschew the bright and gaudy for the monotone, the understated, or the expensive-looking… but does living in fear of committing a faux pas maybe miss the point? 

Kristen Meinzer, culture critic and cohost of The Daily Fail, joins us to defend the tacky — as not only counterculture, but as the real reason for the season.

If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: hearmeout@slate.com

Podcast production by Maura Currie.

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